Daria Pavlenko

In recent years Daria Pavlenko gave such influential proof of artistic
potential, reliability and versatility, which ensures her place among elite of
ballerinas. On the beauty of motions, musicality and feelings she is beyond
comparison. Her performances in leading roles of ballets like Swan Lake, La
Bayadère, The Sleeping Beauty and Raymonda are steeped in the grand classical
manner, emphasizing the qualities of choreography and music rather than the
technical prowess of the dancer.
Daria Pavlenko's career followed a more traditional path than is common in
the Mariinsky Ballet, where stars are now often made overnight. In her case the
daily corps de ballet work preceded the more prominent assignments. In her
second season at the Kirov she began to prepare her first soloist roles, mainly
under the guidance of Gabriella Komleva, one of the most distinguished
ballerinas of the previous generation. In 1998 Pavlenko danced Maria in
Zakharov's dram-ballet Fountain of Bakhchisarai, the Lilac Fairy in the old
Konstantin Sergeyev production of The Sleeping Beauty, and Gamzatti in La
Bayadère. At the end of that year she was also cast in Alexei Ratmansky's
challenging Middle Duet with Islom Baimuradov. In April 1999 Pavlenko was
selected to dance the 3rd Act of The Sleeping Beauty in the Gala evening
dedicated to her repetiteur Gabriella Komleva.

Daria Pavlenko was born in Moscow in 1978. Following the example of her older
sister, she went training at the Vaganova Academy in then Leningrad. She
completed the full eight-year course with Olga Iskanderova and, for the last
three years, with Yelena Yevteyeva. Upon graduation in June 1996, Daria Pavlenko
joined the Mariinsky Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet.

English National Ballet Pictures

Photo Digital Artist Henry Reichhold has been associated with the English
National Ballet for nearly two years. He first presented his studies of the
company in an exhibition of 'Swan Lake' - at the Royal Albert Hall in May 1997.
In December of the same year he exhibited his studies of the "Nutcracker" at the
London Coliseum. Henry also worked for six weeks in June 1998 to produce the
Exhibition of Derek Deane's "Romeo and Juliet - in the making". Henry was
involved with all aspects of production, following the company into class,
rehearsals and fittings as well as working in the wings behind the scenes.
Henry is delighted to be working with the National Ballet again this year on
their new production - Derek Dean's "Swan Lake".

Those are absolutely brilliantly creative photos. Original and funny. Really enjoyed it, excellent! Very nice work!